Abandoned Princess
by KH Rockin' Robins collabs
Summary: Kairi is plagued by dreams about her past, and finding her father. She wants to discover the truth of the matter, and learn who she is. Sora and Riku seem to know, but seem unwilling to tell her...
1. Chapter 1

**Standard Disclaimer: **please see the profile page :)

**Note: **Everything posted on this account (this story included) will be written collaboratively by several different writers. For more information, please view our profile page. Thanks and enjoy!

**Summary: **Kairi is plagued by dreams about her past, and finding her father. She wants to discover the truth of the matter, and learn who she is. Sora and Riku seem to know, but seem unwilling to tell her...

**Writer:** beckychan

**Abandoned Princess**

Part 1

_It__ was an endless hallway, and every step she took led her farther from the start and no closer to the end. The hallway was filled with doors without number. Some were open while others were shut, and from the open ones streamed light and darkness, in no particular pattern, casting the hallway into a greyish gloom._

"Sora?" she called. "Riku?"

No answer, but the echoes of her own voice, and even that didn't sound like her.

Eventually, Kairi found a focus. She thought, at first, that there was one of the light-filled doorways ahead of her, but it turned out to be a vast mirror in an ornate frame, so large it took up the whole hallway and more. The walls and ceiling and floor fell away from her, but still she stood before the mirror. Yet her reflection wasn't her. It was someone who looked very much like her, but with blonde hair, garbed in a simple white shift.

Kairi reached out to touch the mirror, but just before her fingertips met smooth glass, the image rippled and became her. Or, rather, became who she was ten years ago. The little, auburn-haired girl looked up at her with impossibly innocent eyes, eyes that as of yet did not know about light and dark, of land crumbling away underfoot, of keyblades and heartless and nobodies and worlds beyond her own.

"Where did Daddy go?" the younger her asked.

And then, the mirror fragmented into a thousand pieces and burst, sending millions of shards towards and through her, sparkling like the stars, like pixies, and Kairi found herself in a dark room, lit from a great height by round stained glass windows.

The Princesses of Heart all stood there; Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, and even little Alice, who wasn't properly a princess. She called their names, each in turn, so glad to have company at last. They smiled their gentle, friendly, trustworthy smiles, all of their eyes warm. A glow backlit each of the girls, and each stepped backward, back into her own world, leaving Kairi alone again.

"Wait!" she called after them. "Don't leave me!"

"Where's Daddy?" her voice echoed in a childlike taunt. "Where did Daddy go?"

"I... I don't know!" she answered her own echo. "I can't remember!"

"Find Daddy," her six-year-old self requested.

"But... I don't even know who he is..."

"Find him..."

The windows above her broke, showering her with shards of colored glass. No, flower petals! Then one began to glow, fell more slowly than the rest. Its glow increased until Kairi could no longer actually see it. But neither could she tear her eyes away from it. It's decent slowed further, but it floated directly down to her, and she held out her hand to catch it. It was warm and comforting, and had always been there. The glow subsided, and she opened her hand to find the gold ball pendant that she always wore. She reached up and touched her chest gently to verify that it actually wasn't there anymore...

Kairi's blue eyes shot open. She once again touched her chest, as she had in her dream, verifying the presence of the necklace. It lay there, near her ear and almost tangled in her hair. Morning. She only now became aware of the call of the gulls and the salty-fresh smell of the ocean breeze wafting through her window.

She'd been dreaming, but what about? She touched her necklace again, lost in a rapidly fading confusion.

"Daddy?" she called into the empty room, and didn't know why she'd said it. She'd _meant_ to call for Sora or Riku. When had she last called for her father? When had she last _seen_ her father? She couldn't remember. She couldn't remember his face, not even his name. Why was she even thinking about him? She closed her eyes and rubbed them, trying to either clear her head or set the memory of the dream deeper in.

Her cell phone rang, startling her. The cheerful tune was Sora's custom ringtone, and with a grin, she reached for it, the dream forgotten.


	2. Chapter 2

**Writer:** israelproject

**Abandoned Princess**

Part 2

They met on the beach, just like Sora had asked, twenty minutes after Ms. Smith, Kairi's foster mother, had fed her breakfast and deemed her ready to leave. Kairi always managed to suppress the small smile and rolling of eyes that threatened to come at the treatment – it's not like she was a little girl anymore. But then, she'd remind herself, she wasn't exactly an adult yet, either – and she was pretty sure that the day would come when she was, and would think back on these days with wistfulness. Ms. Smith always fussed over her.

The day was bright, almost blinding when she first stepped out through the door. Kairi paused for a moment, holding up and hand and squinting, feeling the warm ocean breeze come sailing in, taking her rich auburn hair swinging to the side, along with her skirt. Turning, sneakers scraping the narrow, crumbling sidewalk, Kairi set off at a jog, waving to the familiar faces as she went – which, on this island, was virtually everyone. It was a small community, close-knit, which, just like with Ms. Smith, was sometimes smothering, other times a warm sort of knowledge. Budding independence aside, it was nice to be cared about on such a large basis.

The asphalt turned sandy, and suddenly her steps were sinking, muscles working harder, a fine film of sweat appearing on her arms as she ran across the beach. It wasn't long before the others came into view – Riku, Sora, her absolute best friends, loves of her life, practically, even if it had turned out as the two of _them_ getting together, with Kairi as the awkward third… not that she ever _did_ feel awkward. The three of them knew each other too well for such a thing to interfere with their friendship – at first, she'd been scared that their choosing of each other had almost been a mutual rejection of _her_, but if anything, they paid more attention to her now than ever before. Of course, that could have something to do with everything they'd gone through together with Kingdom Hearts – since their return to Destiny Island, they always pretty much clung together. They'd spent too long apart – their hearts needed the comfort of closeness.

Kairi slowed as they spotted her, an easy grin spreading across her face. She flipped her hair behind her shoulder, breathing quickly from the impromptu run, hands going on hips. As she neared them, sitting on the sand a few feet from the foamy remnants of the waves, she tilted her head to the side, panting, "So, what was it that couldn't wait until – " She checked her watch. " – an hour from now, when we were _scheduled_ to meet?"

Sora looked up with wide, innocent eyes, and Kairi immediately suspected something was going on. "We just wanted to see you, Kairi! You're our favourite person in the _world_!"

Riku, too, was giving her the too-clear blinking, the perfect smile. "Come and sit with us, Kai – we're watching the waves! They're _beautiful_, aren't they?"

Kairi twisted, unimpressed, eyed the beach. "Uh-huh. Wow. The dead seaweed is really moving me." She turned her shrewd gaze back to the couple, Sora starting to squirm minutely with the pressure. He never _had_ been good at lies. A thought occurred to her, lips pursing as she asked, "This wouldn't have anything to do with my birthday tomorrow, now, would it boys?"

Riku's smile and charm became blinding as he replied, "Of course not!"

At the same time, Sora panicked and blurted, "What birthday?" Riku and Kairi stared. Smothering a blush, the brunet tried again: "I mean…" He attempted the sort of suave that Riku usually pulled off in the middle of talking his way out of something. "I – I think of it more as a _meteor_ day. Because, because Kairi came after that meteor shower, right? So – no one really knows when her _actual_ birthday is, we're just celebrating her _arrival_ here."

Riku sighed, shook his head, pulled Sora into a hug and patted his head. "There, there, Sora. There, there."

Kairi, meanwhile, started frowning, her amusement at the situation fading. The two boys looked over as she sat in the sand beside them, elbows on knees, fingertips touching together in the habit she'd developed ever since she and Naminé had become whole again. Sora pushed up from Riku's chest, hesitantly. "Uh, Kairi?" She didn't respond. Worried, he said, "I didn't really forget your birthday. And – I'll think of it as your birthday, if you want. I mean, I do, I was just…"

"It's okay, Sora," she said softly, cutting off his rambling. "I'm not upset."

Riku leaned forward, inspected her with a lowered brow. "Are you sure? You're looking pretty grim for someone who's not upset."

Kairi shook her head faintly, a small, unsettled smile in place. "You just – got me thinking, I guess." She exhaled slowly, as the other two waited to hear what was on her mind. "I mean, it's true – no one knows what my birth date is, do they? No one knows where I'm from, or – or how I even got here. _I_ don't know." She took her head gently in her hands. "I wish I could pull apart my memories and find out."

Riku and Sora were silent for a moment, before the silver-haired teen murmured, "Have you been thinking this way for long? We thought you were happy here."

She blinked, face coming around, a firm nod as she said, "I _am_, I'm very happy here! My whole is here! But…" She shook her head, faint frustration rising up. "I just feel like – I'm getting to a point where I'd like to know more about where I came from, you know?"

With a nervous chuckle, Sora said, "Well, Kai, when a man and woman love each other very much…"

Kairi sighed, pushed to her feet. She took a couple of steps towards the waves, gazed out for a long moment. Not turning, she asked, "I don't suppose either of you found anything out when you were off travelling the other worlds?" She lowered her head a little. "I have to belong to one of them… What if I have – parents out there? A – a father?"

_Find Daddy…_

Kairi reached up, touched her pendant. Sora's voice was serious this time, a wary note entering it. "I don't think so, Kairi, no."

He was lying again. She couldn't figure out why, but – she heard it, the faintest tremor in his tone. She scowled. Why would Sora lie? And – why wasn't Riku correcting him? The older teen was choosing to not speak at all – that was, in itself, a sign that there was more to this than either of them was saying. It didn't make sense.

"You guys?" She nibbled her lower lip. "Is it off-limits for me to go to the play-island today? Is that connected with this – meteor-day stuff?"

"Kairi, I told you, I don't – "

"The play island's okay," said Riku bluntly, casting aside their pretence. He rose, brushed himself off, pulled Sora along with him. "What do you want to do there?"

She didn't look at them as she replied, "A-actually – I'd like to go alone. I was thinking of… checking out the Secret Place."

Sora blinked rapidly, took her elbow in concern. "Kairi, I'm really, really sorry if I – "

She finally looked up, smiled. "Sora. I told you, you didn't upset me. I'm not upset! I'm just – thoughtful. And… there's no better place to think than the Secret Place, right?" She turned to encompass Riku in her gaze, repeated, "Right?"

Both males nodded reluctantly. "Can we at least come with you, and lounge on the beach or something while you're in there?" Sora asked, a crease between his brows. "We won't disturb you – but – we're kind of on Kairi-duty for the day, and, well, I don't want you to be alone, I guess."

Her smile was touched with affection, almost against her will. She shrugged. "I can't stop you, can I? Knock yourselves out."

The boys flanked her, and, together, they went to untie their boats.


	3. Chapter 3

Kairi parted ways with Riku and Sora later that evening with promises that they would be back to pick her up first thing in the morning for a birthday that she "would never forget

**Standard Disclaimer: **please see the profile page :)

**Note: **Everything posted on this account (this story included) will be written collaboratively by several different writers. For more information, please view our profile page. Thanks and enjoy!

**Summary: **Kairi is plagued by dreams about her past, and finding her father. She wants to discover the truth of the matter, and learn who she is. Sora and Riku seem to know, but seem unwilling to tell her...

**Writer:** vires-ultio

**Abandoned Princess**

Part 3

The boys – if they could still be called that after all they had been through – sat on the wall watching the small waterfall, bare feet dangling in the shallow water while they waited for Kairi. "So… what do we do?" Sora finally asked, kicking his feet in the small pool. "She's going to ask for us to take her sooner or later. Probably sooner."

Riku considered the question thoughtfully, idly running a hand through his silvery hair to push it out of his eyes. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "But think how it would hurt her to find out."

"Maybe not… she's strong." It didn't sit well with Sora to keep secrets. It never had. "And we only suspect." He paused. "And anyway… it's not like she knows as much about him as we do, even if we're right." He was rationalizing making the trip, that much was obvious.

"It's what she _doesn't_ know that makes it worse, Sora," Riku murmured. "You know that."

"Well… you know… if it were me… I'd want to know…" Sora continued rationalizing, heedless of what his friend was saying. "And if no one ever told me, I'd find a way to find out on my own. And it's better if we're with her – to keep her safe…"

Riku almost laughed. "You're hoping to run into those friends of yours, aren't you?" As if he needed to ask. Sora's face was as much of an open book as it had ever been. And besides, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

.. .. ..

Kairi ran her fingers almost reverently over the countless drawings of her childhood, even as her eyes themselves strayed to the always-locked door that was embedded in the rock wall. _Through that door,_ she thought, _there are answers._ She had always known that, but never worried about it nearly so much as she did now that she knew the sort of places that lay beyond. The problem was that she didn't hold a key to the door… but Sora did. And so did Riku. However, something made her wonder if they would be willing to help at all. But she had known… perhaps for longer than she wanted to admit, that she was going to ask them. _Tomorrow. I can say it's a gift._ She nodded to herself, and smiled, fingers now running lightly over the door that had always held such mystery for them all.


	4. Chapter 4

Kairi parted ways with Riku and Sora later that evening with promises that they would be back to pick her up first thing in the morning for a birthday that she "would never forget

Kairi parted ways with Riku and Sora later that evening with promises that they would be back to pick her up first thing in the morning for a birthday that she "would never forget

**Standard Disclaimer: **please see the profile page :)

**Note: **Everything posted on this account (this story included) will be written collaboratively by several different writers. For more information, please view our profile page. Thanks and enjoy!

**Summary: **Kairi is plagued by dreams about her past, and finding her father. She wants to discover the truth of the matter, and learn who she is. Sora and Riku seem to know, but seem unwilling to tell her...

**Writer:** finem

**Abandoned Princess**

Part 4

Kairi parted ways with Riku and Sora later that evening with promises that they would be back to pick her up first thing in the morning for a birthday that she "would never forget." It was meant to be her sweet sixteen, but there was still that nagging knowledge that she had very well possibly missed the actual day by a lot. There was no guarantee that she even really was sixteen. Maybe she was older than Sora...maybe she was older than Riku and just small for her age. It was a thing she had thought of often, but never before had it bothered her so much. Why was it now, after they had all fought so long to be together again that she began to feel a need to learn about her past?

Sora and Riku had been gone for so long. She'd wanted to see them again; wanted it badly enough to brave the darkness in hopes of finding them, so why did she feel so...restless? Like there was something in her that knew that she was missing something important?

"Namine, are you still playing with my memories?" Kairi mused to herself and she got ready for bed.

Despite Sora's year long sleep that was supposed to have restored all of his memories and the memories of those connected to him, it seemed to Kairi that there was still a part of her mind constantly at work, but at what, Kairi could not decide. Pushing the troubling thoughts aside for anticipation of a day filled with family, friends, and new memories for her to make, Kairi lay down in her bed, closed her eyes and slept.

.. .. ..

_It was an endless hallway, and every step she took led her farther from the start and no closer to the end. The hallway was filled with doors without number. Some were open while others were shut, and from the open ones streamed light and darkness, in no particular pattern, casting the hallway into a greyish gloom._

_"Sora?" she called. "Riku?"_

_No answer, but the echoes of her own voice, and even that didn't sound like her. Why did this feel so familiar?_

_Eventually, Kairi found a focus. She thought, at first, that there was one of the light-filled doorways ahead of her, but it turned out to be a vast mirror in an ornate frame, so large it took up the whole hallway and more. The walls and ceiling and floor fell away from her, but still she stood before the mirror. Yet her reflection wasn't her. It was someone who looked very much like her, but with blonde hair, garbed in a simple white shift._

_Kairi reached out to touch the mirror, but just before her fingertips met smooth glass, the image rippled and became her. Or, rather, became who she was ten years ago. The little, auburn-haired girl looked up at her with impossibly innocent eyes._

_"Where did Daddy go?" the younger her asked._

_Kairi stared down at herself, fascinated, watching as the glass seemed to waver, shift. The child reached out with the trust that only small children can have, reached out to touch the mirror, reached through the mirror, and Kairi found that she couldn't turn away, couldn't recoil, could only watch with innocent curiosity._

_"Grandma, what are we doing?" she asked, wide eyes looking up at the wizen old woman who gently held her hand, guiding her through the tombs of the castle library._

_"I want to tell you a story, little one," the hunched woman replied. "Come, sit by the window with me."_

_Kairi smiled up at her grandma. Story time! She always loved story time! He grandma knew all kinds of great stories, and there were always princesses, and dragons, and brave knights or princes to the rescue! She missed the stories that her daddy used to tell, but he was always busy now. He and the six scary men were always using big words and hurrying off to the parts of the castle where she wasn't allowed. That was fine, though. Her grandma told great stories too, and her daddy would be done working soon, and come tell her all about it, just like he always did._

_Releasing her grandma's hand, she skipped happily over to their usual spot and plopped down into her chair, watching as her grandmother settled herself down with greater care, waiting anxiously to fine out what great adventure she'd hear about today._

_"This is very important, dear," her grandma said, and Kairi was a little confused. Why did her grandma seem so sad today? "This is an old story, but it's important that you hear it. It's something I want you to hold in your heart always."_

_Kairi nodded solemnly, doing her best to be mature and poised, the way her etiquette teacher always told her. It felt like her grandma was speaking to her as a princess, not just a granddaughter._

"_Long ago," the queen mother began, "people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone loved the light very much._

"_One day, people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves, and darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared, but small fragments of light survived...in the hearts of children._

"_With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That's why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. Someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open and the true light will return, so listen, child. Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Believe in the light, and the darkness will never defeat you. Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away. Do you understand, Kairi?"_

_Kairi looked at her grandmother, her young heart stirring with a strange emotion that she did not recognize. Kairi stood by the window, watching the scene between the child and her grandmother with an aching pain in her chest._

_"Where's Daddy?"_

_The voice of the child and teen blended as the stained glass window above them both shattered, the castle and library disintegrating as well taking the two away and leaving Kairi in endless darkness._

_"I have to…find him..."_

.. .. ..

Kairi woke gasping. There was something burning her! The dream was gone in less than a heartbeat, the only concern in her mind the need to identify the cause of the sudden stinging pain in her chest.

Ripping her sheets away, she looked down to find…nothing. There was nothing out of the ordinary on her person, but…

Even as she watched, the pendant around her neck began pulsing with a dull glow. It was easily discernable in the darkness of her room, but it wasn't something she'd be able to see in the light of day. How long had it been doing this?

She reached out a tentative hand to touch it, but it was cool as always under her fingers. It seemed that the burning was…from within.

_"I have to…find him..."_

Her eyes, almost against her will, were drawn to her window, the ocean, the silhouette of the play island standing out against the moonlit sky, and in her mind's eye it went further; the beach, the secret place…the door.

Before she knew what she was doing, Kairi found that she was dressing, pulling on sneakers then climbing out of her window. It didn't matter that it was well after midnight, she didn't care that her friends would be there in a few hours to escort her to her 'surprise' birthday party. Something was calling…

Her heart would not allow her to ignore.

.. .. ..

Sora sat up in bed, entire body thrumming with an all too familiar sensation.

"No way," he growled out, falling gracelessly out of bed as his legs got tangled in his sheets. He dressed with the speed of one accustomed to having rude awakenings, and was out of his window running towards the docks within three minutes of waking.

He wasn't at all shocked when Riku met him half way there.

"What the hell is that?!" the older boy asked as they bounded down the wooden planks. "It feels like—"

"The door's been opened," Sora completed the thought grimly, fingertips itching as he resisted the urge to call the Keyblade. That shouldn't have been possible without him or Riku being there to unlock the door to darkness, but then again…neither of them had possessed the Keyblade when the door first opened. The darkness had done that for them, and since they had never found and sealed the keyhole for Destiny Islands, there really was nothing stopping the darkness from coming through again.

"We have to hurry," Sora said, hopping down in to the boat next to Riku and thinking quickly. They didn't have time to row, so he would have to get creative. Maybe if he created a small localized Aeroga spell at the tip of his keyblade he could use that as a motor and—

Sora froze. Ever since he had carried Kairi's heart in his own and she had restored him from being a heartless, the two had shared a special connection, heart-to-heart. Once his memories had been set right again, he had always been able to sense her presence to a certain level, in his heart when they were on the same world.

In that moment, Kairi's presence vanished from the Destiny Islands. Once again, their unit was broken. Sora looked out to the play island in despair.


	5. Chapter 5

Writer: beckychan

**Writer: beckychan**

Kairi stood before the door. It was open only a crack, but a pulsing light radiated from behind it. Or was it darkness? It reminded her of hot water from the tap that was so hot that it felt cold. This was darkness so dark it was light, or light so bright it was dark. She couldn't tell which.

Her necklace pulsed in time with the radiance, and almost felt like it was dragging her towards the door. How had it opened? It couldn't have been Sora or Riku...

_Don't be afraid..._

She _wasn't_ afraid, and that was odd to her. Despite the fact that she hadn't done what her friends had done, despite that if there was a squirming evil beyond this door, she wouldn't be able to fight, despite that her only trips to other worlds had been accidental, and she had always been dragged there by something else, she wasn't afraid.

She reached out, hesitating for a moment.

"Kairi, no!"

She yanked her hand back and turned around guiltily. She had thought she'd heard Sora's voice just now, but there was no one there. Sora and Riku. Her anchors, her friends, the loves of her life, her heros, her rescuers, time and time again...

And then, irrationally, she got angry.

"What are those two keeping from me?! They know everything, don't they?!" She thought about the previous morning, on the beach. The looks they gave each other. Sora couldn't lie... They knew what she wanted to know, and had kept it from her all this time!

Against her chest, behind her necklace, it began to burn again, that place deep inside. It felt like her heart was ready to burst, resonating with the darkness streaming from the door. For it _was_ darkness. She knew that now.

_Kairi, please,_ she could hear Riku's voice soothe from somewhere far away, or maybe not at all. _We only wanted what's best for you._

"What's best for me?!" she shrieked into the empty cave. The darkness pulsed. Her heart pulsed and burned. Her necklace began to glow with the brilliance of a star. "What's _best_ for me is to know who I am! To know my family! Why did you keep it from me?! I thought you were my friends!"

She whirled around and grasped the edge of the door. It burned her hands in the same way her heart burned, but she wasn't about to let go. Instead, she yanked, pulled it open, widened the portal.

The darkness lashed out with inky tendrils that did not at all seem to be completely there, and enveloped her, caressing her skin in absurdly sensual ways that would have made her blush on any other day. But she was sweet sixteen now. Or was she?

_Don't be afraid. Step into the darkness, Kairi._

She took a step.

Sora gasped and clutched desperately at his chest.

"Sora!" Riku called, catching his friend before he fell.

"She's gone, Riku. She's gone!" the brunet cried desperately, reaching ineffectively toward the play island, which suddenly seemed eternally far away. Riku looked at him, and got a sinking feeling that he meant "gone" in more ways than one.

The strange feeling, the feeling of the door being open, ended abruptly. They knew it was closed, and that Kairi had taken it to... to... who knew where she had gone? If she was _lucky_ she'd end up in Radiant Garden, and have her questions answered quickly, and then come home.

But would she come home once she knew?

"Then we're going after her."

Sora looked up at his best friend in all the worlds, the one who had travelled darkness for over a year, just to protect him, and nodded with resolution.

"We'll need a ship. I'll try to contact Goofy and Donald, and you try to contact King Mickey. I'm sure someone will hear us." His jaw set in grim determination.

"Right. Come on. We've no time to lose."

Kairi was falling. And not the standard type of dream falling, where everything was in slow motion, and you had no danger of hurting yourself upon landing because you would probably be right-side-up by then, and land on your feet. No, this was real falling, with wind so fast it stung your eyes and tore your scream from you, no matter how much you wanted to keep quiet and face it like an adult. And landing from a fall like this would probably mean death.

But then, she didn't slow so much as seem to have been falling from a much lesser height all along. She landed with an, "Oof!" that was still painful, but not fatal. Her head hurt, and her ribs, and her butt. Ow.

She sat up and looked around. Where was she? Where had the darkness taken her? It wasn't anywhere she particularly recognized.

An animalistic snuffling caused her to tense as something was breathing hotly in her ear. She could just picture the fangs and drool and glowing eyes. Nervously, she looked over her shoulder...

And received a slobbery lick in the face.

"Blach!" was the most eloquent thing she could come up with at a time like this. She wiped her face off and found herself looking into the soulful eyes of a large yellow dog of indeterminate breed.

"Pluto!" She hugged the mutt around his neck. The musty smell of a dog that could use a bath and the sensation of his diamond-shaped metal name tag pressing sharply into her cheek was extremely welcome, given the circumstances. "You've found me again!"

Pluto barked happily, his whip-thin tail wagging hard enough to cause bodily injury.

"Come on, boy. Let's go find out where we are."


	6. Chapter 6

Writer: israelproject

**Writer: israelproject**

It took a few steps for Kairi to realise that something was – very wrong. She faltered, eyebrows drawing together in confusion. Looking around, she took in the landscape – a quiet sort of area, peaceful. But – off. She took hold of Pluto's collar, fingers momentarily tightening as, still slightly dazed from the drop, the sudden cut from the island to this new destination, her brain took a while to process exactly what information her eyes were feeding in. And then it struck her – she gasped, amazed and astounded all at once, bewildered. She released Pluto, straightening, looking around wildly for a moment. "Where's the…?"

Black and white, as far as the eye could see. So alien, it hadn't registered properly until she'd had time to think about how very _wrong _the whole thing was. Her mouth dropped open slowly, eyes darting to the dog, who, happy as ever, utterly undisturbed by the anomaly, panted and grinned. Kairi swallowed, noticing how odd the canine appeared in this new world – simpler, almost. She lifted her hands, plucked at her dress, took a few minutes to get used to the fact that somehow, while she'd been in the darkness, colour had leaked away. The question that occurred to her, with a spike of nervousness, was whether or not it had been like this before she got here, or if… the darkness had _changed_ her.

A small breeze came along, ruffling her hair, making Pluto yawn. Slowly, Kairi's uncertainty morphed, became determination again. What did it matter if the darkness had changed her? She glanced around. Even if she never ended up seeing colour again, wouldn't it be worth it, if…? Her hands formed fists by her sides, a short nod of confirmation, to dispel whatever small doubts that had been forming, the little wondering in the back of her skull. Flashing Pluto a small smile, content that at least she wasn't dealing with this alone – Pluto was always around when he was needed – she slapped her thigh. "Come on, boy," she said, voice firm. "Let's see what we can see, okay?"

They travelled through the countryside, small, rolling hills, swaying, hip-height, grey grass. Soon, Kairi found herself forgetting that anything was different at all. Her mind automatically attributed colours to the landscape, so that even grey ended up being bright. She and Pluto slogged through the hard grass, until it softened, started to flatten instead of simply bending, growing shorter. The sound of running water filled the air, the pair brightening and automatically heading over to the right, emerging after several minutes in front of a free-flowing, murky-looking river. _Blue, _her mind said, and Kairi didn't notice anything but the white sparkles of sunlight glittering against the undulating surface. When she knelt at the bank, dipping her hands in, the water was just – _water. _She splashed her face, gasping a little at the cold, savouring the new alertness it brought. Beside her, Pluto enthusiastically lapped the running fluid up, thirsty from his efforts. Sitting back on her heels, Kairi sniffed in, blinking widely, looking around. She paused, squinting, brought a hand up to cover her eyes and gazed keenly into the distance. "Look at that," she murmured, drawing the dog's attention. "A boat!" She pointed, Pluto lifting his head as if to try and see, ears perking. It puffed away in the distance, sending up alternating clouds of black smoke, heading in the opposite direction. He gave a sharp bark, startling the girl, who then smiled. "At least we know this place is populated, right boy?" She pushed against her knees, leaving small smudges of dirt, brushed herself off, glancing down at her companion. "How about we find someone to talk to around here?"

Pluto wagged his tail, apparently in agreement, and once again they started walking. After a couple minutes of following the river, Kairi found herself at the foot of a path winding back up the bank, away from the water. Eagerly, she followed, breaking into a jog, the dog trotting easily alongside. Passing between earthen walls, Kairi saw a wooden fence messily zig-zagging along the side of the trail. This was getting more encouraging by the second. Maybe there was a village nearby?

When they broke into a new clearing, in the middle of a field, the sight that met her eyes wasn't what she was expecting at all – definitely not a village. Jerking to a halt, panting a little, Kairi raised a hand to push through her hair, bewildered. "What the heck is that?" she wondered aloud. She glanced about, saw no one in the immediate vicinity, approached the strangeness – an enormous ball, seemingly made of glass, filled with…

"Light…" Kairi frowned in momentary thought. "This – this is familiar," she murmured. She placed a hand on her hip, finger pressed to her lips as she craned her neck, taking in the expanse of the giant sphere, sitting on a white dais. "This – " She shook the finger thoughtfully at the structure, speaking as much for her own benefit as Pluto's – it was hard to not treat the canine like another active mind, listening and paying attention. "This is the Cornerstone of Light… isn't it?"

She approached cautiously, circling closer, wary. Sora had told her about this – it was what kept Disney Castle free of darkness, of evil. It was vital to all the creatures under the King's care – but what on earth was it doing _here?_ Memories stirred in the girl's mind, suspicion growing, eyes narrowed as she gave the area another, harder look. Her gaze fell to the dog, who watched curiously, head cocked to one side. "I think I know where we are," she told him. Her face rose again, solemn this time. "Or at least – _when." _

Sora, with Donald and Goofy, had – gone back in time, the boy had informed her, during one of the quiet storytellings he occasionally indulged in. At the time, Kairi had been – well, not quite sceptical, but wondering how such a thing was possible, especially simply by passing through a door. She had attributed it, in the end, to Merlin's magic. Such a powerful wizard would be more than capable of achieving such reality-bending… but _Kairi _was no wizard. She had passed through a _regular _door, not a – a _time _door. It's not like they were just left lying around – right?

She passed around the massive orb, to the opposite side to the sun of the black-and-white sky, wincing a moment later at the way the light of it mingled with that of the Cornerstone, seeming to pierce straight through her. She shied away, covering her eyes from the burst of brightness, stepping out of the direct path of the beam… never noticing the long shadow left in her wake.

She continued until she came full circle, letting out a soft, "Huh," with hands on hips. She pursed her lips, looked at Pluto, a worried crease between her eyes. "Well – what now? We're in the _past." _She drew in a breath, let it out in a frustrated sigh. "Just great. This wasn't what I wanted at _all." _Grimacing, she found a rock to sit on, hands propping her face, elbows on knees. Pluto, whining uncertainly, sat in front of her. She gave another, slightly shaky exhalation. "I just – I didn't mean to come _here." _She scowled. "I don't even know where I _was _trying to go. I just – I just want to know about my old life," she explained plaintively to the canine, lifted her chin. "Is that so bad? I mean – don't I deserve to know?" Pluto lapped her cheek, the girl making a face, a reluctant chuckle exiting her throat. "Uhhh… thanks, boy."

A second later, Pluto was growling. Startled, Kairi jerked back from his bared teeth, before realising that she wasn't the target of his displeasure. Pluto turned fast, hackles raised, taking on a defensive stance. Kairi stood swiftly, brows drawing sharply together, ready to fight or run. They sprang up again, though, as she realised the source of the tension. A line of hovering – things – had appeared, several feet away, simply – hanging in the air. They were covered in thick, red-velvet curtains, a golden-twine pull-rope hanging to the side of each. Bewildered, wondering, the girl approached, Pluto following with a suspicious sniff.

Hesitating, Kairi neared the closest one, pausing to study it, before peering dubiously around behind it. The back was blank. She glanced around, was still alone except for the dog and the massive ball of light in the centre of the clearing. She puffed out a breath, fingers stretching as she returned to the front, staring at the curtains. Then, on a snap decision, she grabbed the thick rope and pulled hard. Like clockwork, the heavy drapings slid apart, revealing a screen which flickered, hummed, and sparkled to life. Kairi gasped, as a fuzz of static sharpened abruptly to become – "Ah!" She ducked instinctively, away from the image of Sora and Riku. Wide-eyed, she rose again, slowly, Pluto's ears pricking at the familiar voices that came filtering dully out. They were faint, and it was impossible to make out the words they were saying, but it was undeniably them. Clasping her hands at her throat, the girl watched for a while, as they conversed seriously. They were – on the beach… Home. It looked like it was night, but it was hard to tell – they were as black and white as this place. They kept glancing at the sky, impatient, looking tense, and it was all she could do to not reach out and try to touch them.

But no. They – they betrayed her. They wouldn't tell, not even when she _asked. _They were… trying to keep her from herself! Her heart hardened, the slightest amount, a frown falling over her features. She backed away from the image, and, with one last glance at the boys, she turned from them, shifting her attention to the second of the three windows. Knowing, now, what to do, she grabbed the rope without hesitation and yanked, watching with tight muscles as the curtains slid apart, wondering what would be shown this time. At first, it was hard to tell – everything seemed chaotic. It took a little while for her to understand the image, a little murmur of curiosity escaping her. It was a busy street, as if someone had taken a camera and set it up on the ground, at the slightest upward angle. She could see legs, masses of them, walking back and forth – and cobblestones, and market-fronts, it looked like. It continued this way for over a minute, in which she grew increasingly uncertain. This wasn't even Riku and Sora – what was the _point _of this little movie?

That's when _they _came into view. Kairi nearly choked, seeing the small girl holding the old woman's hand, the pair of them passing slowly through the crowd. People kept turning to them, smiling, and the woman smiled and nodded back, while the girl was simply clutching tight and looking brightly around. Kairi let out a breath, knowing without needing colour that the little girl's hair was red like wine, her dress white, trimmed with pink. _This was the girl she'd been dreaming about._

This girl – was _her. _

Just as she extended a hand to brush against the screen, the image flickered, died, the curtains sliding noiselessly back into place. She was tempted to pull the rope again, see if the scene continued, see if it followed the two… but maybe that was what the third one was for? Steeling herself, sucking in, Kairi marched determinedly over to the final window, Pluto at her heels. This was it – after this, she only had what she'd already seen. Maybe she'd come to this place for a good reason _after _all. She gripped the rope, tugged back, watched the red velvet part smoothly. For a long time, nothing happened. Small lines darted across the screen, proof that something was coming, the image was playing – but other than that, nothing. Kairi frowned in disappointment.

Pluto started growling, the girl glancing down. "What is it, boy?" she asked with concern. In a matter of seconds, Pluto was hunched over, teeth bared, snarling viciously. Kairi backed away, startled. "Pluto?" This was all directed at – the screen?

She blinked, as something dark seemed to flick through the white. Eyes narrowing, she stepped closer, ignoring the canine's distress. Pluto gave one loud, sharp bark. Kairi peered closely, trying to see what could be disturbing him so badly – it was just an image, after all…

A sweep of black, just a shiver. Kairi reached out to tap the screen, and the instant her skin touched it – she let out a piercing scream, Pluto's snarling barks erupting non-stop, as a shadow lunged forward, slamming into the glass on the other side, clawing frantically, eyes glowing. So terrified was the girl, she didn't even notice just how familiar the shadow looked… or the fact that she was lacking her own, on the ground behind her. She fell back, scrambling to get away as the window shook and shuddered, the shadow punching the invisible separation, teeth bared, irises aflame. Pluto quickly passed in front of her, a shield between her and the display, which was shuddering more and more violently. "Pluto, come on!" she cried, starting to run. She stopped sharply, letting out a startled, wondering noise – a door had appeared, out of nowhere, near the Cornerstone of Light. Glancing fearfully over her shoulder, she called again, "Come on!" and started towards it. She circled it quickly, not knowing where it had come from, nor where it led – only that this was a world in which time was a river, which could be swum forward, or _back. _She thought of the screen again, the one of her with the old woman – she thought briefly of the one of Riku and Sora – she let out another, small scream as the one housing the shadow tipped suddenly onto its side, still in midair, but only moments from tumbling. What would happen if it did?

Would the monster be free, then?

"_Pluto!" _At last, the dog turned tail, galloped to where she stood, his barking finished but an endless series of whimpers and whines coming from his chest, obviously worried. "Okay, let's get out of here," Kairi gasped, too frightened to look back again. She grabbed the handle, wrenched – thought, _please! I want to see them again! _Her necklace turned hot and jumped against her skin, at the exact moment that the erroneous window went crashing to the ground. The door flew open, and the girl-dog pair leapt through, Kairi keeping her wits enough to snatch the handle on the opposite side and slam it in their wake.

She could only hope that the shadow, whatever it was, wherever it came from, wouldn't be able to follow.


	7. Chapter 7

Writer: beckychan

**Writer: beckychan**

"Right," Donald was saying in his raspy, avian voice, so hard to understand when he was excited. "Goofy and I will meet you on the beach in three hours."

Sora and Riku stood facing each other, Sora with the Kingdom Key and Riku with Way to the Dawn, blades crossed. A bluish orb of light was projected from the point where the blades met, and Donald's face could be seen within the orb. At some point, after what felt like an hour of frantic thought, it occurred to Sora that all of his talk about friends being in your heart wasn't just words, and together, with the power of the keyblades, they had managed to contact Donald and Goofy. Riku had been hoping for King Mickey as well, but as usual, he was away on business. Official, kingly, hush-hush business.

"Three hours!" Sora complained. "But Kairi could be in trouble now!"

"You wanna go for five?" Donald growled back, and Sora pouted.

"No..." he droned, properly chastised.

"Alright then. Three hours. Be ready."

"We're ready _now_," the spiky-haired youth muttered, but didn't protest loudly again.

The orb shrunk or burst or something, but one moment it was there and the next it wasn't anymore. Sora's blue eyes met Riku's green ones.

"Well, now what?" Sora asked, looking a little bummed out.

"What else? Now we wait."

Kairi couldn't _believe_ the size of the hall she now stood in. Huge and white and expansive, it seemed like more space than any one person would ever need to themselves, ever.

"Wow..." she breathed, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Pluto, where are we now?"

The yellow (_honestly_ yellow again! No more black and white!) dog barked, and it rang from the walls and ceiling, and made her feel very small in such a large room. He bounded around her excitedly, and she couldn't help but laugh at his exploits.

"Well, at least you're not growling anymore. That must mean that you're comfortable here. Well, why don't you show me around?"

Pluto barked again and ran off down the long runner that led all the way to the massive door at the other end of the hall. As Kairi approached it, she couldn't help but wonder how she'd ever get such a massive door open all on her own, but the closer to the egress she got, the better she could see that there was a much smaller door inlayed in the oversized ones, and that it wouldn't be at all hard to open it. Assuming it wasn't locked.

To her great relief, it wasn't, and she and her companion headed into the hall. On one side, tall windows were cut into the wall, letting cheerful sunlight, fresh air and birdsong filter in, making the whole place seem welcoming and friendly. And as she turned her head to the right she saw...

"King Mickey!" she gasped. And it was true. Portrait after portrait of the mouse king lined the wall in both directions. Several of the portraits made him look downright regal, but even more of them made him look humble and kind. She was particularly fond of one where he wore a simple blue tunic and a green hat with a red feather in it. In that one, he was holding an oversized pair of scissors like they were a sword. He didn't look like a king at all in that one, or even like royalty! In fact, he looked much more like a tailor, brave and cunning, but modest.

Pluto barked again, getting her attention, and she drew her eyes away from the painting to follow the dog. The hallway was long, seeming almost endless, but there were so many things to see along the way! Suits of armor and statues, and out the widows, a garden with giant topiary of animal people playing instruments! The number of triple-circle mouse heads that decorated almost every inch of the castle would make so many people think the King was narcissistic, but Kairi got the impression that the décor wasn't ordered by him, but added lovingly by his friends and followers without his request or, even, knowledge beforehand.

She'd met King Mickey once or twice, and Riku's closeness to him really made him likeable and trustable, but never before had she realized just how loved he was. The depth of the loyalty his subjects and friends showed him was truly remarkable. It wasn't every day a king came along that people would search for to the ends of the universe and through space and time.

Eventually, the mutt led her to another set of huge doors with another set of smaller doors set in them. Not feeling the need to ask the dog if he wanted her to go in – it was clear he did – she opened the door and entered. Beyond was a vast library with a large statue in the lobby. Kairi approached the statue and examined it. It was King Mickey, dressed in simple shorts with oversized buttons, holding hands with a man in a suit. She had never seen the man before, nor had Sora or Riku ever spoken about someone with his description. He was of average height – though he towered over the mouse – with kind eyes and a bristly moustache, and he pointed off in the distance, as if drawing the mouse's (and any viewer's) attention to the future. It warmed Kairi's heart, and she really wished she knew who the man was, had a sudden, flooding desire to meet him.

Pluto whined a little, looked just a little sad as he observed the statue. Kairi let her hand drop to his head and scratched him behind the ears.

"Why'd you bring me here, boy?" she asked softly. "To see this statue?" And then, a realization struck her. "Is... Is _that_ my father?"

Pluto blinked and looked up at her, then shook his head so hard Kairi could swear she heard it rattle. He barked and bounded down the library's main aisle. The girl followed him at a run. He took a hard right, his feet scrabbling on the tile floor, then bolted up a curved stairway to the upper floor.

"Wait up!" Kairi called after him. "You're going too fast!"

She followed the way she'd seen him go, and when she caught up, he was sitting beside a (normal sized) set of wooden double doors, looking proud of himself. There was a bright light streaming through the cracks of the door.


End file.
